Once a Sheep Always a Sheep, or Salvation Deficit Disorder?

[Solo Fide]

Depends on the childs mental capability.

That's what I think too- that's why we aren't given an age. :thumb

[Clouds]

A person who was not sure of his position as an eternally saved person could not honestly thank God for his salvation. It would be false gratitude to thank God for something you were not sure of possessing.

You could thank God for the opportunity of salvation, but that would be as far as your honest gratitude could go if you were not sure of your salvation.

[kathryn]

God came to me two years ago, and i chose to accept Jesus as my saviour. although i have completely fallen away from the church and almost never pray anymore and sin when i know it angers God. needless to say i am miserable. So is it true my faith is dead if i no longer have a christian lifestyle? but I still believe in Jesus, I just am having trouble giving my life to him...would he leave me here when the Lord returns for his church?

[A Berean]

God came to me two years ago, and i had no choice but to accept Jesus as my saviour. although i have completely fallen away from the church and almost never pray anymore and sin when i know it angers God. needless to say i am miserable. So is it true my faith is dead if i no longer have a christian lifestyle? but I still believe in Jesus, I just am having trouble giving my life to him...would he leave me here when the Lord returns for his church?

Kathryn, the good news is you are miserable! That means the Lord is working in your life to bring you to Him as Lord! Below are 2 videos I "borrowed" from Amy Elisabeth's signature. Go there and watch them, and if you have questions, please PM me:wave!

***Made a profession of faith in Christ but your walk not quite right? Click on link below and then watch the two videos too***
http://www.whatifimpretending.com

[Galoutofdixie]

Hi Kathryn! Welcome to RR. :hat

While I cannot judge another's heart, I do believe in eternal salvation. That once you have asked Jesus into your heart as your Savior. You are then saved, for always.

I'd say that the fact that you feel miserable about sinning is a good sign that you are probably saved. If you weren't saved you probably wouldn't care. And.. if saved, you won't be left behind. But it does sound that you are out of fellowship with God. When we sin, we loose our fellowship and closeness with Him. We all sin, but need to confess and repent of them when we do, to remain in Fellowship. It sounds as if you have drifted away from Him. He is faithful and just to fogive us our sins though. :yeah

I would urge you to search your heart for the reasons that you are drifting away. Ask God to forgive you and get back in Fellowship with him by confessing sins, reading His word, and getting into a good bible teaching church where you will get good teaching and fellowship with other believers to lift you up and help you grow in your faith.

Go to this link and read about "Eternal Security". This fellow, "Jack Kelley" is highly regarded here at RR. He writes in and easy to understand manner and backs up everything with scripture, and I know these articles will be of help to you. :nod

http://www.gracethrufaith.com/search?Topics=Eternal+Security&Submit.x=14&Submit.y=6

Also, stick around here! :hug We'd love to fellowship with you, and you will certainly grow in your walk here. Lots of great info.

Looking forward to seeing you around these boards.:thumb

[Galoutofdixie]

Back again,

I wanted to start you off with a couple of good articles that may address your immediate concerns. I think that you will be blessed by them. They're not very long. :hat

The first one is called, OSAS, The whole story. (once saves always saved) http://www.gracethrufaith.com/selah/eternal-security/osas-the-whole-story

The next is called "Union or Fellowship" and talks about the difference of being saved or out of fellowship, and how that affects your walk with God. http://www.gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bible-teacher/union-or-fellowship

Happy reading! :hug

[Alhere]

I wouldn't know if you are a Christian? Only you know why you prayed that prayer. I have heard of lots of people praying the sinners prayer but not with a real heart of repentance. They had to keep seeking God for salvation later. When you prayed did you see your life as offending a Holy God, did you see your life as reflecting slavery to sin, did you see yourself as more like a child of darkness?

The gospel is summed up in Acts 20 v 21 "repentance towards God and faith in Jesus Christ". You never spoke about repentance or how you viewed yourself when you "received Jesus"?

I would be concerned if you felt "forced to" pray a prayer. God doesn't force himself on people as far as I know. Were you emotionally manipulated into saying a prayer by a preacher? Were you adding Jesus to your life?

If you are saved and are stubbornly running your own life you would be grieving the Holy Spirit. Read Romans chapter 6. And God would use circumstances to discipline or correct you.

But again only you can know if you are saved or not. If you still love this world, love to sin and do what you want to do then you likely not saved.

Not meaning to judge you or anything but just to encourage you to examine yourself until you know in your heart that you have truly repented and trusted Christ.

[mustang]

Kathryn,

You sound like I have been many a time. I'll admit I have been angry and wanted to turn away but I never felt satisfied and eventually turned back. I would encourage you to follow the advice from others above and just pray for Christ to lead you.

[lostsheep]

God came to me two years ago, and i had no choice but to accept Jesus as my saviour. although i have completely fallen away from the church and almost never pray anymore and sin when i know it angers God. needless to say i am miserable. So is it true my faith is dead if i no longer have a christian lifestyle? but I still believe in Jesus, I just am having trouble giving my life to him...would he leave me here when the Lord returns for his church?

I have two verses of encouragement to you my sister.

Romans 15:13
13May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

2 Corinthians 1:21 & 22
21Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, 22set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

I also want to let you know that he will take you right now, just as you are. You do NOT need to put anything aside before you can run to him.
Pray to him to help you to want to stop sinning. Ask him to do the work for you. All you need to do is let him in.
NOTHING you can do will EVER change his love for you!!
IF you are his child he will always be your Father!!!
As his children we may disappoint him, but his love NEVER changes for us.

[Dreams of Rising]

God came to me two years ago, and i had no choice but to accept Jesus as my saviour. although i have completely fallen away from the church and almost never pray anymore and sin when i know it angers God. needless to say i am miserable. So is it true my faith is dead if i no longer have a christian lifestyle? but I still believe in Jesus, I just am having trouble giving my life to him...would he leave me here when the Lord returns for his church?

I have to get to work :hehee so I have to be to-the-point:

You always have CHOICE. That is what the cross is all about! God CHOSE to send His son. Jesus CHOSE to take that terrible "cup" and suffer and die... that WE might then have a CHOICE to escape our terrible destiny caused when Adam and Eve fell. God doesn't want puppets or little programmed robots. If we were as such, then our CHOICE to follow Him and our prayers and words of praise would be hollow and without value.

As others mention, your MISERY is key. That is the conviction of the Holy Spirit. You are feeling Spiritual Discernment - that is, you KNOW in your heart what is right and what you should be doing. Once saved, you realize that only a relationship with God can fill those jigsaw-puzzle places in your spirit!

Miserable? Sounds strange, but in this case that's a good thing.

Just pray a little - alone and away from the noise of the day. You are not alone! The Holy Spirit is our comforter and a part of us - we ARE new creations. Sometimes we try to look at things one-sided and we immediately become miserable as "we" are never enough on our own. Claim that power and companionship of the Holy Spirit!

Finally, remember that things like baptism, giving money, being in a church... those are things that as obedient sons and daughter of the King we SHOULD do. They are NOT requirements or conditions to salvation!

If you add anything to what Jesus did on the cross, then you diminish the power of His blood and His name!

There is one name under Heaven by which we are saved - not one name AND doing this or that! Call upon Jesus and you will be saved.

Nothing is left wanting, either, as Jesus himself said "It is finished." Your bill - past, present and future was paid in full for all eternity! That is just so wonderful!:heythere

Some of what you're going through is expected and natural. We are "newborns" spiritually when first we are saved. We have to feed upon the word of God, the Bible. In those pages are power and nourishment for your troubled soul! Dig in - eat up - grow strong!

In closing, realize that you just might not get this big trumpet-blast CALL to service. That's not what you need to worry over, believe me.

When the Holy Spirit DOES speak, you will understand how LOUD a silent whisper can be!

Meanwhile, READ and ADHERE to Matthew 6:33. Doing this will result in you growing and becoming strong spiritually - THEN you can serve! Would you expect a toddler to go mow the front lawn? Of course not!

Pray, read God's word and make yourself AT THE READY, as a trained soldier is - EQUIPPED for the job and ready for the call to battle! We are even told in the Bible to put on the whole armor of God! Ephesians 6:10-12

We are all bringing wisdom to you, and backed-up by the Bible. Now get to work!:thumb